The True Story of Emily Lockwood / g. karim

𝟚𝟞. 𝔹𝕖𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕃𝕠𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝔻𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕤

~ / Episode Eight- Part Three \ ~

"welcome home, son"

❀

--The door swung open by Anthony's hand, and it was like the air had been sucked from the entire house. For ten years, that ghastly place had been shut up, the memories of the horror that transpired within kept mostly at bay.

Except for the twins.

Emily knew, with each breath she took, that she and her brother were both living memories. However, especially in light of recent events, those horrific memories had begun to slowly be replaced: by those filled with love, a fair bit of panic, and stupid heroic decisions on Anthony's part.

But they were new memories, nonetheless.

That didn't make exposing everything to her closest friends in the world any easier, though.

DEPRAC had completely cleaned the scene of any evidence that her parents had died there, but Emily cringed to think that Anthony could see it.

She lifted her eyes from the floor to look at her brother, whose normally stoic expression was looking like it was cracking. Almost imperceptibly, Lucy reached over and slid her hand into his own, casting him a tight smile.

"All right there, Em?" Her brother's voice caused her to snap her eyes back up to his face, instead of focusing on the love blooming right in front of her.

"I'm okay," she smiled weakly, leaning on the banister for support with her leg. She'd left her cane downstairs, but George was quick to replace it.

"Here, let me help you," he wound an arm around her waist, and she one around the back of his neck, for support.

The group of teens took a few steps forward into the room, and Emily was surprised to notice that she wasn't feeling much at all. No remorse, or pain. Perhaps it was the near-death experience, or George's arm around her waist keeping her tethered to reality, but the girl felt truly free.

"What is this place?" Lucy breathed, looking around at the various artifacts. Anthony sucked in a breath, but Emily interjected before he could reply.

"This is where our parents died," she smiled a little sadly at Lucy's face.

"I'm so sorry," the girl cooed, her blue eyes showing true empathy. Emily loved her more in that moment than she ever had. Anthony let his hand run along one of the shelves, it coming away smeared with dust.

"They travelled the globe, and they brought these back with them,"

George had been eerily silent, so Emily was rather surprised when he spoke up.

"These are extraordinary," he said, clearly awestruck. The boy adjusted his glasses and removed his hold on Emily to examine some of the assorted trinkets. Emily watched him, a warmth blooming in her chest as she watched him fall into his perfect element.

"They're rare sources, that's for sure," Emily commented, letting herself look around the room. Her eyes fell on the exact spot where she, all those years prior, had broken the vase and sent their lives flying right off track.

Or, perhaps - sent them perfectly into where the universe wanted them.

"What was here?" Lucy walked over to the pedestal and into Emily's line of sight. She swallowed, a rush of sorrow sweeping over her like high tide.

"A vase," she managed, her voice meek to her own ears "It broke and released one of them."

"How old were you?" Lucy turned to face her friend, who was gazing blankly at the spot. Anthony sighed.